My mom’s cucumber pickles is such a cooling dish that complements spicy foods like curries. Sometimes, it’s fun to serve both the pickles and curry street style on newspapers and banana leaves so it’s like I’m taking my friends on a trip to Malaysia. I made a video to show you how to make this easy cucumber pickles in 5 minutes and share a secret, see below.
It’s another one of my mom’s simple dishes that’s become a staple and only has three ingredients: cucumber, tomatoes and onion and two seasonings: salt and vinegar, (lime or lemon but not necessary)! Optionals are cilantro and scallions.
Optionals are cilantro and scallions.
Best part? You can start eating them after only a few hours, not days or weeks like most pickles. This is not like dill pickles in a jar, it’s made fresh on the day you eat it. It has a sweetness and is not sour but there’s NO added sugar involved.
What goes with these Cucumber Pickles?
Goes perfectly with my mom’s Malaysian Chicken Curry (blog) or if you prefer, watch Malaysian Chicken Curry video.
How are Cucumber Pickles cooling?
Cucumber is yin (cool) and curry is yang (hot, energizing). The cold cucumber pickle helps to cool your body temperature down when you are on fire from the curry. Many countries have something like this, in India, they have raita which is a cooling cucumber yoghurt.
There’s an interesting site explaining Yin and Yang here.
How to make Cucumber Pickles in 5 minutes?
As usual, I cheat by skipping the step of adding salt to the cucumbers to draw out the moisture which make them more crunchy. Definitely do this step if you have time. Just squeeze the cucumbers and drain out all the liquid before adding to the onion and tomatoes. It’s not a good idea to make this day prior because it becomes soft and soggy.
Make Cucumber Pickle on the morning of your dinner party.
Here’s HOW…
If you have a lime or lemon, a small squirt, then toss, toss, toss! That’s it.
Cover with plate or cling film and put in fridge and take out an hour before serving.
By adding fruits like pineapple and mango, the pickle turns into a salsa! It’s very refreshing and everyone loves this version.
More interesting things about pickles…
While researching for cucumber pickles like my mom’s, the closest one I came to was this one.
Check out this super site listing 10 countries, 10 pickles.
What about 3 Easy Pickling Options?
To this day, my sisters and I make this all the time and adore it. Every time I serve these 5 Minute Pickles at dinner parties, guests beg me for the recipe, ha, ha.
If you try this 5 minute pickle, let me know how you like it in comment below.
Even better, share on Instagram and tag @wokstar #wokstarway
